


Seraphinite

by AuntG



Series: The Seraphinite Series [1]
Category: Supernatural
Genre: Alcoholic John Winchester, Angel & Vessel Interactions (Supernatural), Bad Parent John Winchester, Bisexuality, Candy, Canonical Character Death, Co-parenting with Cas, Curses, Dean Winchester is Sam Winchester's Parent, Fallen Angels, Fluff and Angst, Fluff and Humor, Football, Gargoyles, Good Parent John Winchester, Jealous Castiel (Supernatural), M/M, Miniature Castiel (Supernatural), Or Is It?, Pie, Sad Dean Winchester, Temporarily Female Castiel (Supernatural), Witch Curses, Witches, Young Dean Winchester, almost
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-03-18
Updated: 2020-05-18
Packaged: 2021-03-01 02:22:43
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 12
Words: 5,147
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23197783
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AuntG/pseuds/AuntG
Summary: In 1902, Castiel goes to investigate a rumor involving an angel going native. She gets in a little over her head...A/N: Castiel is only female on the first chapter.
Relationships: Cassie Robinson/Dean Winchester, Leo Webb/Dean Winchester
Series: The Seraphinite Series [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1750537
Comments: 4
Kudos: 40





	1. 1902: Excoriation

**Author's Note:**

> Disclaimer: I own nothing.
> 
> A/N: Unbetaed  
> Tags will be updated.
> 
> This is going to be anywhere between 8 and 16 chapters long. I have an outline and have already written the first four chapters (minus some minor editing.)

In 1902 Jesca Rose Daniels had just travelled from Maine to Cincinnati, Ohio to attend the wedding of her sister, Clara Daniels-Novak when she was visited by an angel for the second time...

Castiel's intense blue eyes quizzically gazed upon the luggage in her hand before dismissing it as unimportant and she flew to an alleyway in Springfield, Ohio. As she stepped out onto a large street in her pale grey overcoat, Castiel made note of the large scale construction project underway. She knew that according to Isham, somewhere nearby angelic magic had been unleashed--possibly indicating that another one of her brethren had refused to return to heaven--so Castiel was there to uncover why.

She crossed over to a saloon called  _ The Fenn _ .

Castiel strode past the doors and into a dim room with dark wood panel walls, low chairs, and a long U-shaped bar with a black polished stone counter. Behind the bar stood the proprietress in all her fiery, shiny glory.

"Hello, Dear." she said as she finished wiping a glass and put it down somewhere behind her.

Castiel set down the luggage.

"I'll have a 'beer.'" she said softly and while using finger quotes.

The proprietress rolled her eyes.

"Well for draft beer, 'tis 19 cents. I don't know about your special 'beer' though."

"I'll have that, then."

Castiel received her beer, and handed over the correct currency.

"Is it true that they are building an institution of higher learning here?"

"Our very own Springfield University." the proprietress said as she counted the amount twice before depositing it in the register.

Castiel sat there quietly sipping her beer. She couldn't sense the presence of an angel, but that might only mean that it had learned how to hide. As she sat she tried to think of a topic that would reveal more about the angel's whereabouts. After all, it would get tedious very quickly if she could not get the angel to reveal itself. Lost in her thoughts, she failed to notice that the bartender had left the room. She was alone. She stood up, and noticed for the first time a painting behind the bar. She leaned over the bartop to get a better look.

Clever. At first glance the painting's little splotches appeared to make up a Monet knock off depicting a Labyrinth of bushes. But upon closer inspection, the seemingly random pattern and hue of the leaves actually had a consistent frequency that was shaped to form words in Enochian…

"That was a bad idea, dear."

*****

_ That was a bad idea, dear. _

Castiel attempted a look of innocence--unfortunately, it was the one that Balthazar later labeled as his grumpy bear stare.

The bartender closed her eyes and pinched her brow. 

"You're not from Oberlin are you."

Castiel's stare became confused.

"The Anti-Saloon League?"

Castiel stared at her in even greater confusion.

"I thought so… We always end up here."

She opened her eyes and gave Castiel a sideways look.

"You poor, poor dear--now I have to stop you from going home and  _ gossiping _ about me."

Castiel took a step back. Before she could do anything else, the proprietress used telekinesis to slam her against the bar and then she began chanting.

*****

This magic didn't feel right, was Castiel's muddled thought as the woman's magic washed over her. 

She struggled to remember a counterspell but her mind felt syrupy and the magic was not the cool blue of Grace that she had expected, but something foreign and green.

The witch's chanting briefly came to a stop.

"Learn to love humanity." She said in English.

With those words Castiel felt her Grace harden and squeeze, gasping as pain ripped across her body and then, mercifully, as she felt her body begin to shrink… she lost consciousness.

*****

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So what do you think of my little curse?
> 
> Is the woman a witch? An angel? Rowena? None of the above?
> 
> I wanted an old name and Jesca was a name that Shakespeare used.


	2. 1983: Flea Market

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Mary goes to the flea market and buys something. Then she comes home to Smol Dean.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Confession: I know nothing about American flea markets, but in the ones in the country of my birth we always bartered.

Despite the lack of April showers it was a beautiful spring day in Lawrence, Kansas when Mary decided to do a little shopping. John was at home with his bandaged foot up and 'taking care of the kids'.

Yesterday, her sweet little boy--Dean--had decided to help do the laundry. He picked up a pile of laundry and ran towards the washer, where he crashed into his father. This resulted in Dean dropping his load--including the wrench that had accidentally been included in the pile.

Now John was hurting and pretending that he was too macho to feel pain.

Mary shook her head at her wandering thoughts and took a look at the pile of nicknacks in a box halfway beneath the table. Several contained a logo, so she tried to read it upside down.  _ Springton _ ? 

It was Saturday, so she had decided to go to the flea market. Hey, no judging. So what if the price of getting things cheap was having to sift through things. Here she had found many oddities that had found a permanent place in her home.

She looked up and spotted it. Perched precariously on the edge of the table was a small stone statue of an angel with greenish grey color that was interlaced with a feather like pattern in silver. It was beautiful, and she couldn't help but think that it might help put a smile back on Dean's face. Her little angel was still very upset with himself over injuring his father.

"How much?" She said to the grizzled old man.

"That? I couldn't part with it for at least five. It's an heirloom, you know."

"Bullshit." she said and crossed her arms.

"I bet it came right out of this box" she said nudging it with her foot. "...and isn't worth more than a dollar."

"You caught me." He said, giving her a gummy smile.

"The lady who sold it to me as part of an estate sale said that it sat on the desk of the first Dean of Springfield University. Okay, $3."

"Oh, please. That can't be worth more than a buck fifty."

"But it's from Russia! It was blessed by a priest!" He exclaimed and she gave him a look.

"I'll give it to you for $2.50."

"$2.25 and it's a deal." she said and they shook on it.

*****

Mary came home to find her sleepy little boy tucked up with a blanket next to the TV trying to keep his eyes open to watch Scooby-Doo.

She carefully picked him up and he wiggled until his face was pressed against her shoulder.

"Mama?"

"Time for a nap, sleepy bear."

"Don' wanna."

She ignored his protests and took him into his very own room (which he had been moved into a month before Sam was born) with pale green walls. She gently placed him onto his bed and began tucking him in.

"I got you a gift baby."

"A gift?" Dean said, suddenly more alert.

Mary sighed.

"Promise you'll go right to sleep after I show you."

"Okay." Dean said happily. He liked gifts. Then he remembered that daddy was sad. His smile fell.

Mary left the room and returned a moment later with a shopping bag. She pulled out the little stone statue and showed it to her son.

"What is it?"

"An angel." She said, then she moved to place it on the highest shelf. "It will protect you; guard you and watch over you while you sleep."

Like mama. Dean smiled.

"Okay, Mama." Dean said, and pulled the covers over his head.

"Sing to me?"

" _Hey, Jude…"_

_ ***** _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well now you know that Seraphinite (The inspiration of this Fic) is. A russian silvery gemstone with striations that resemble feathers. Pretty.


	3. 1983: Fire

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It is 1983 and just after Halloween. That means that there is candy and pie and football...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here comes the angst.
> 
> I'm sorry.

1983: Fire

For the next few months Dean saw the rock angel every day when he opened his eyes. As it watched him he thought: 

_ Is it like Santa? He sees you when you're sleeping. _

And Dean tried to be extra good so that Santa and Angel and Mommy would be happy. Sometimes daddy would trip over a toy and Daddy would yell. Then mommy would yell. Then daddy would stomp, stomp, slam the door--and mommy cried. So he picked up all the toys and brought her juice. Other times daddy would leave a long time and mommy would be sad and shaking, so he gave her extra hugs and gave her his favorite blankie.

*****

Dean liked candy. Yesterday was a candy day called Hal-o-een. 

Today Mommy said that Sammy was six months old! Dean went and watched foot-ball with Daddy while Sammy played with blocks. Then they had a little party with PIE and Dean ate lots of candy too!

Then Sammy was sleepy so mommy put him in his baby bed. Then, after Scooby-Doo mommy came back and Dean went upstairs too.

"Come on, let's say good night to your brother."

Dean gave Sammy a kiss on his baby head.

"'Night, Sam."

"Goodnight, Love."

Mommy gave Sammy a kiss too.

Suddenly, a voice.

"Hey, Dean."

Dean ran to daddy and hugged him. Daddy picked Dean up.

"So what do you think? You think Sammy's ready to toss around a football yet?"

_ Funny daddy. _

"No, Daddy." Dean laughed.

Mommy and Daddy talked.

Daddy took Dean to his room and put him in his bed.

"Night, Daddy."

Daddy left the room.

"Night, Angel."

*****

A noise made Dean wake up. Rock Angel was different. Dean was… hot?

Dean went up the stairs.

Daddy was there, holding Sammy and looking scared.

"Daddy!"

Daddy pushed Sammy into Dean's arms.

"Take your brother outside as fast as you can and don't look back! Now, Dean, go!"

Dean tried to run really fast but Sammy was heavy and wiggly.

"Mary!" Daddy yelled. 

Dean ran downstairs and bonked into the closed door. Dean put Sammy down and opened the front door. Dean picked up Sammy and ran outside like daddy said.

And waited.

Sammy was crying.

"Shhh, It's okay, Sammy. Shhh." Dean said as he shook Sammy up and down like mama did.

And waited.

Dean saw Sammy's window. There was a really bright yellow light coming out.

And waited.

_ Where was mommy and daddy? _

And waited.

Then daddy came and picked Sammy and Dean up.

_ Fun! _

"I gotcha."

Daddy carried Dean and Sam away.

Then there was a big BOOM!

"Mommy?!"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I don't know if anyone has ever written this scene from Dean's point of view, but I wanted to try.
> 
> I made myself sad.


	4. 1983: Ash and Dusk

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Treasures in the ash.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Mini Chapter in Dean's point of view.

Dean cried. He cried and cried. Mommy was  _ not _ there and he wanted mommy. The house was  _ not _ there and he wanted his toys. He could  _ not _ sleep and he wanted his angel and blankie.

Daddy pointed his beer and said to stop crying. Dean cried more and Daddy yelled.

Then they went to the house. It had holes and was sooty. 

Dean went to his room and couldn't find anything! 

Then he stepped on something. 

"Ouch!" It was...

"Rock Angel!"

Dean put it in his box.


	5. 1983: Castiel

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> We finally get to meet Castiel!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> John is an ass. Castiel waddles.

When Castiel awoke at sunset, it was to the sound of yelling.

"...Mary was too soft on you! From now on you will show me respect!" 

He heard the baby wail.

"Stop crying, and get Sammy his bottle!"

Last night Castiel had sensed the presence of something very dark, but in his current form he could do little other than alert the family that he had come to live with. And he couldn't even do that… because, in his shame, he had been too proud and afraid. So he had never revealed himself in his cursed form to anyone, not even Mary the Hunter. And now she was dead. Castiel heard the door open and close.

Dean shuffled in, trying desperately to quiet his sobs as he sat down miserably on his bed.

"He shouldn't have said that."

Dean startled.

"Who… who said that." Dean said with his little voice quaking.

"I am Castiel, an Angel of the Lord."

"Rock Angel?"

"Yes. This box is very dark."

"I didn't know you could talk." Dean said as he opened the box. 

"I can at night."

Castiel pushed awkwardly against the cardboard side and stood up. The stone robes were fused to his legs and forced him to waddle so he waited until Dean thought to put his hand down. Castiel daintily stepped on.

"Why now?" Dean said as he lifted Castiel to his face. 

"Your sorrow woke me."

"Sorrow?"

"You are sad. And your father made you sadder."

Dean nodded. His nose bobbed perilously close to Castiel's head.

"You're so little."

Dean frowned in concentration.

"What… was your name?"

"Castiel."

"Catsi--"

"Castiel."

"Too hard. Rock Angel."

"I'm not a 'rock'." Castiel said with a huff as he punctuated with his fingers.

"Fine, Cas."

A thought occurred to Dean.

"We can have pillow fortresses and sleepovers, and maybe Sammy can come too!! I can show you to my friends and they will be _so_ jealous..."

"Dean, you mustn't show me to anyone or they will take me away, and then how can I watch over you?"

"Not even Sammy?"

Castiel relented.

"For now and only in this room, you--you can show Sammy."

"Yes!"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: This was originally going to be a short Christmas story with Castiel as an angel tree topper.
> 
> But I like the Gargoyle mythology, and then I found out about Seraphinite.
> 
> By the way, If you haven't already and you like Gargoyles too, I suggest that you read the "A Promise At" series.


	6. 1983: Prime

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A brief bonding moment between Dean, Cas, and Sam.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This one takes place around the start of December.

Dean showed Sam his new friend named Cas and told him to keep it secret. Sam giggled and gurgled but seemed pleased, and clapped his hands when Castiel waddled over to his blocks and frowned in befuddlement at the strange arrangements.

He saw that the red block with a six was right next to the blue block with a seven. He pushed the seven away from the six.

Dean stopped watching Scooby Doo.

"Why is six afraid of seven?"

Castiel looked intensely at the block with the seven.

"I don't know. Prime numbers can be intimidating."

Dean started giggling.

"Silly Cas!"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I like comments... I promise that I don't bite.


	7. 1986: Older

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Time passes.  
> John informs Dean that it is now his job to take certain duties onboard.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Dean tries and John criticises.

As Sam and Dean got older, they would go to many towns and it was exciting! Dean thought for sure that he would make many new friends! At first they stayed with daddy's friends, hunting buddies like Uncle Bobby.

But daddy didn't like that Uncle Bobby taught him baseball. So they yelled at each other and then daddy got Sam and Dean and they left Uncle Bobby's house.

Afterwards, Dean found more and more of his time was spent doing chores because Daddy said that it was his job to take care of Sammy now. Daddy was gone a lot and when he came home Dean had to be respectful and call him Sir. Daddy also said that it was Dean's job to have dinner ready and keep the hotel room clean. 

Dean wouldn't have known what to do but Cas said that you could find anything in a book and they could learn to cook and clean together. 

So the next day Dean went and asked his teacher where the library was. The day after that he went to the library after school and got a card and lots of books on cleaning and cooking. And a dictionary. Cas helped him with the big words and tried to help by watching Sammy whenever Dean cooked and cleaned. One time Castiel waddled into the kitchen and told him to call his father on the phone because Sammy had shoved a green crayon up his nose.

Daddy came home smelling funny. He yelled at Dean and called him stupid and neg-lek-ful.

He yelled at Dean some more and told him to go upstairs without dinner. 

Castiel came in while Dean was crying like a stupid little baby. Cas hugged Dean's knee and said in his tiny, low voice that daddy took Sam to the hospital and that he shouldn't have said any of those things because they weren't true. 

They stayed like that the rest of the night.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I will update the tags as needed. I believe that the next two chapters cover a few years.


	8. 1987: Suspicious

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Castiel overhears John voice his concerns about Dean to another hunter.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi. I'm back!

Castiel had become quite adept at pretending to be still whenever John was in the room.

Today John was on the phone with one of his hunter friends.

"I'm telling you, I heard someone talking to Dean the other day, but when I went into the room he was all alone--what if it's a demon, Bobby!?" John shouted into the phone. This was bad.

"A Tulpa?" John started to laugh.

"I think I know  _ my _ son better than _ you. _ If it was Sammy, then sure.  _ Dean _ lacks the imagination." John said derisively.

"He'll be a good hunter someday." John added proudly.

Castiel sighed. He knew he would have to break the news to Dean that they could no longer interact unless John was away on a hunt or asleep.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yay Bobby!
> 
> I was going to have the next chapter be when they were a few years older, but I like where I stopped this chapter. Next chapter will be from Dean's point of view.


	9. 1987: Hiding

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Dean and Cas talk about things.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sad one.

Dean could tell that Cas was standing too close and staring at him. 

"Personal space, rock angel." Dean muttered.

"Deeeaaan." Cas said in his tiny yet low voice and poked at his shoulder to get his attention.

"It's you father."

Dean bolted upright. Cas clung to the blanket to keep from falling off.

"What's wrong with dad?"

"He's, Ah, pick me up? It's easier to talk about face to face."

"Fine." Dean lifted him up to eye height.

"Dean, your father was talking about your 'invisible' friend to another hunter. He thinks I might be something to hunt "

"Oh, no. I won't let him take you!" Dean replied.

Cas tried to soothe Dean with shushing noises and soft words while hugging his cheek.

"Dean, this means that the only room safe for me right now is your hotel room at night when he's asleep or when John has gone out of town for a long weekend... and I should stop playing with Sam because he's old enough to talk about things."

"He'll be heartbroken." said Dean.

"I know, but what choice do I have!" Castiel said upset. "You've met your father."

"Seeing his father try to kill his friend would be a lot more traumatic than if he just stops seeing me."

"Okay, Cas. We'll do it."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next time they are going to grow up a bit.
> 
> Minor Edit: where it said bedroom, it now reads hotel room. I forget sometimes that they lived their whole lives in hotel rooms and other people's guest rooms. Well I'm going to assume that they at least sometimes had separate rooms.


	10. 1988-1996: Runaway

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sam becomes an angry angsty brilliant teen which is, like, cannon.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Angst ahead.
> 
> My original Chapter was only until the line of asterisks. But then I realized that there was an event in cannon that I needed to address because Cas would definitely have gotten involved. As a result, the rest of my original Chapter will be in the next chapter and you get an extra chapter. Honestly, I don't know why I even bothered with an outline.

As the years went on, Dean kept his promise to only speak to Cas at night. It was hard, though because Cas was his buddy, his best friend next to Sammy. Cas kept him sane when Sammy hit his teen rebellious phase and was fighting and pushing back against dad's rules. After Sam started pushing all the time, Dean tried to redirect dad's anger onto himself, which resulted in a lot of bruises. 

As he lay in bed with silent tears streaming down his face, Cas would try to comfort him. Cas also helped Dean understand why Sam was being so difficult and even though it was hard, he encouraged him to try to maintain a good relationship with his brother… 

*****

Dean felt something pinch his earlobe and then when he didn't react fast enough a tiny, gruff voice urgently shouted "Dean!"

"Whaaa?" Dean said, as he stiffly half-turned and saw Cas slipping, trying to hold on to the edge of his faded Zeppelin T-shirt.

"Whoa, buddy!" Dean said as he cupped his hand under Cas's feet. Cas gratefully stepped down onto his hand, but the expression on his face remained alarmed. Dean slowly stood up.

"Dean, Sam is… I saw him just a minute ago. He was stuffing a bunch of clothes into a backpack… I know it hurts to move right now, but you need to go to him. I think he's going to run."

Dean gaped at him. Then he groaned. He set Cas gently on the bed and staggered out of the hotel room he had been sharing with his brother, trying to avoid his drunk, snoring father in the adjoining room. He grabbed the hotel key and slipped out the front door. He looked towards the parking lot and saw Sammy storming off into the warm desert night.

"Sam!" Dean cried, hoping that he was not too far away to hear him. It would really suck to have to run.

Sam stopped.

"I can't do this anymore."

"Please don't go, Sammy." Dean said as he tried to hold in a sob.

Sam turned to face him, his face blotchy red from anger. Then his eyes scanned over Dean's bruised body, lingering on his busted up lip. Sammy sighed and looked sad.

"Dean, I just--why can't we be normal? Why do we have to be the ones to do this? The hunting, the moving... we never get to keep any friends… you might be daddy's perfect soldier, but I have dreams!" Sam said, shaking with frustration.

"And _what_ will running away do? You're just 13! You don't have anywhere or anyone else to go to!"

"Uncle Bobby…"

"Is that really where you're going?" Dean said, surprised. He started slowly walking towards Sam.

"No…" Sam admitted, guiltily. "The bus station. Then Flagstaff."

"What's in Flagstaff?"

"No one I know." Sam answered in a small petulant voice.

"Look. I'm turning 18 in a couple of months. If you still want to leave then, I know uncle Bobby would try to help but you have to understand that we don't have any legal options that wouldn't result in dad getting arrested and you would end up in the system unless Bobby could convince people that he's a responsible adult."

Dean said, trying to make Sammy understand.

"You would be willing to do that? Leave dad… on a _maybe_?"

Dean stopped in front of Sam.

"I want you to be happy Sammy…" He said, as he pulled Sammy into a hug.

"I know that you have dreams--you're so smart, you deserve to go to college…"

"You're smart too." Sammy mumbled into his shoulder.

Dean pulled away, but decided not to start another fight by disagreeing aloud. 

"So are you going to stay?"

"I'll stay."

"Until I'm 18?"

"We'll see..." Sam said, surprising Dean. 

"I know dad does important work… but he's a _crap_ dad. Still, I don't want him arrested."

"So you don't want?" Dean said, gesturing vaguely.

"Uncle Bobby can help?"

"Yeah." Dean said and Sammy nodded.

"Then I'll stay as long as you need me too."*

He made a decision right then that he would talk to Bobby at the next opportunity about them staying at his place more often and also about Dean working at the junkyard. Who knows, maybe he could even get a mechanics' certification under an assumed name.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yup, Flagstaff.
> 
> *Sam might be an angry teen but he loves his brother. 
> 
> Next chapter is called Dashboard.


	11. 1997- 2002: Dashboard

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> They grow up some and Dean gets to drive Baby more. Other stuff happens.
> 
> I'm terrible at summaries that don't give away spoilers.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry this took so long.
> 
> I don't know if I should have done this in the previous chapter, but in this chapter there is a *Trigger Warning: Domestic Abuse.*
> 
> I will include a short summary at the bottom for those who do not want to read the chapter for this reason.

Bobby did help. 

He got Sammy a new jacket (that had a wad of emergency cash sewn into the lining) and he talked dad into letting Sammy stay with him during the months of April and May, arguing that they were the height of exam season and that Sam could use the stability. Dad and him got into a huge fight at first, but Dean sided with Bobby and eventually dad caved. The bruises that Dean got for 'mouthing off' were worth it. 

And Dean _did_ get a job at the junkyard, with Dean spending the money on Sammy's school supplies. Then, Bobby started surreptitiously teaching him whenever he could. After a while he tried to encourage Dean to take the test. Despite that, Dean hesitated.

_"I can't, Bobby." Dean said as he stared at the man across the kitchen table._

_"Boy, don't quit on me now." Bobby said as he grumpily adjusted his cap._

_"Dad would say that I'm wasting my time, that it has nothing to do with hunting and isn't even in my own name." Dean muttered._

_"Then don't tell the Idjit. This is about making YOU happy." Bobby said as he pointed at Dean. "You gotta do you."_

So Dean took the test and got the certification as Dean Campbell. He was now officially a mechanic in the state of South Dakota.

Dad started letting him drive Baby more often. Whenever he followed up on a lead on his own, Dean made sure to bring Cas on the trip with him. The first night that Dean took Cas with him, the motion of the car made Cas flail about wobbling like a hula dancer…

_"Ah! Hahaha! Ahahahaha…"_

_Dean had managed to put the car in park before succumbing and laughing while clutching at his stomach._

_"This isn't funny Dean, I could have fallen off the Dashboard!" Cas said in his grumpiest voice._

_"You! Ahahaha! You look ridiculous! Ha! Like a hula, haha, hula angel! Ahahahaha! Ow!"_

Of course, karma bit him in the ass because Sammy spotted Cas in the car a few days later and spent the rest of that week teasing Dean about his lucky dashboard angel.

Time went on and they got older. Sam got his acceptance letter to Stanford University and quickly hid it from John. Later he sheepishly admitted in a whisper to his dream of becoming a lawyer and showed Dean the letter.

At that news, Dean loudly declared that he was going to go for a beer run and then when he got there he immediately went to the payphone and called Bobby to tell him the good news. Dean and Bobby put their heads together to decide an exit strategy for Sam. They would need to come up with a way to convince Dad that Sammy going to Stanford was really John's idea. After the phone call ended, Dean returned to the hotel and whispered to Sam that Bobby was going to send them a brand new burner phone. A few days later the brothers received the burner phone and then they found a park near the motel and called Bobby. Dean put the burner on speaker so they could all talk. It didn't go all that well.

_"Well, maybe I could tell him that Hunters need lawyers more than anyone…" Sam said in a hopeful tone._

_"He'll never buy it. He's an action man Sammy." Dean hated being the one to make Sam lose hope, but now_ **_he_ ** _was the one being naïve._

_"Idjit only sees his revenge, if you leave now he'll see it as a betrayal." Bobby agreed reluctantly._

_"I'm sick of this! Controlling ass--"_

_"Sammy!"_

_"I'm leaving."_

_"It's your choice, boy. If you choose to leave I will wire you the money to buy the tickets and snacks for the trip."_

_"And I will be the one buying the tickets. If I go to a bar after the next hunt, he won't think twice about me leaving with a girl and not coming back for a few hours."_

_"I can't let you do that, Jerk."_

_"Not your choice. I'm not going to let you risk getting caught, got it?"_

_Sam huffed and crossed his arms._

_"Sammy… If you're leaving I, I want to be the one who takes you to the bus." Dean said shyly._

_Sam reached over and gave Dean a hug._

_Dean tolerated it then pulled away with a scowl, but then mussed up Sam's hair when he turned away. This led to a squabble, the phone forgotten by both._

_"Well, boy? Which way is it going to be?" Bobby cut in._

_"I want to give dad a chance but… if things go wrong…"_

_"There's someone on the other line, so I gotta cut this short. I'll send the money right away. You boys stay safe."_

Things went according to plan until Dean got back to the motel, opened the door and got slammed into the wall--and lost consciousness.

*****

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Bobby helps the boys get some supplies like cash, clothes, a bus ticket and a burner phone. Bobby convinces John to let Sammy stay with him during the month of May (which is the height of exam season). John is a jerk.  
> Castiel is now a Dashboard angel. Bobby also helps Dean to train as a mechanic and Dean gets certified under the name Dean Campbell. Sammy leaves for Stanford and Dean returns to the motel. John is a jerk.
> 
> For those who are interested: I am 70 percent finished with Chapter 2 of The ConScripts (of Cold Oak)


	12. 2003 - 2005 Dashboard Part II

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Dean's in his 20s and finally gets to go on solo hunts.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Mind the updated tags. 
> 
> I have come to a decision, and split this story into two parts. The second half of the series will be Destiel.

After Sam got out and went to Stanford, Bobby and Dean both found ways to surreptitiously funnel him the money for his expenses. As for John, the day after Sam left he declared that Sam was not welcome anymore. After that, John was surly for a long while and never even spoke Sam's name.

With John's permission, Dean started to go on solo hunts. He would have been lonely, but luckily he had his grumpy dashboard angel to keep him company. It was the Dean and Cas Show', and it was great.

It was during this time that Dean discovered his bisexuality after he met Leo.*

*****

The day they first met, Dean was at a bar following up a lead in a case when suddenly a fight broke out. 

At the center of the maelstrom (of fists, thrown chairs, and broken beer bottles) was a strong handsome man with beautiful locks that would have made Sammy envious--who was also covered in the bloody gashes from claw marks given to him by the four werewolves surrounding him. Dean quickly joined the fray.

That day, Dean discovered that Leo (a fellow hunter) had brawling skills that could rival even John's when he was sober. 

So naturally, when that hunt ended successfully they went to another bar and after a few drinks agreed to meet up in a couple of weeks to work together again on a case in Texas. That led to a third case, and then after a while they simply started spending time in Baby going on stakeouts, or playing the guitar and singing by the side of the road, or trying to outdo each other by coming up with increasingly ridiculous tall tales about hunts that they had been on. 

It was during one of Dean's stories, a humorous and animated retelling of a salt-and-burn gone wrong that Lee grabbed his face and kissed him--leaving Dean momentarily stunned--before returning the kiss with equal fervor. 

*****

After they became a couple Castiel became even grumpier than before.

_"Dean." Castiel said in a demanding tone as he flared his wings and waved his tiny hand in front of Dean's nose._

_"Stop being such a girl, Cas. Just because we haven't been able to spend as much time together with Lee in the car, doesn't mean that you're not my favorite angel."_

_Castiel gave him a very cross, very grumpy look._

_"Angels are genderless. Dean--"_

_"Oh, look. Lee's coming back." Dean said distractedly._

_"--I don't trust him." Cas said solemnly and stone faced._

_Dean scowled, but whatever he would have said was interrupted by the car door opening._

A few weeks later, Lee died and Dean went quiet. 

Eventually, Dean grew out of it and Castiel observed fondly and with relief as Dean went back to being his funny, crass, irreverent self. It became the 'Dean and Cas Show' again, and they started spending hours in Baby, driving along the road, singing along to Black Sabbath, Bob Seger and Led Zeppelin songs again.

*****

A year later, Dean fell in love again.** This time it was a beautiful young black woman with full lips, large eyes and a heart shaped face at a college campus in Athens, Ohio named Cassie Robinson.

That lasted for a month before Dean told Castiel during one of their dashboard confessionals that he loved Cassie and thought he could maybe marry her someday. 

" _I'm going to tell her, Cas." Dean said in a serious tone as he sipped his beer._

_"Dean, you have known her for a month. Are you certain that is a good idea?"_

_"Pssh. You're such a grumpy cynical angel." Dean said as he poked Cas's middle._

_"It will be fine…" Dean slurred. "I have the best ideas."_

Unfortunately, when Dean revealed this truth Cassie called him a liar and broke up with him.

"I didn't need her anyway." Dean muttered brokenhearted into his fifth beer at the motel room.

 _Liar_ , Castiel thought sadly.

Castiel did what he could to keep Dean in good spirits. Eventually, they went back to being the 'Dean and Cas Show'... until one day John went missing.

*****

To be continued...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *Leo Webb is a character introduced in season 15 on the show played by the multi-talented Christian Kane. (I encourage you to listen to him sing.)  
> He is stated to be someone that Dean met while Sammy was in Stanford... and I wanted to make Cas jealous.
> 
> **When season two aired, Cassie Robinson was Dean's biggest regret. It was only later that the show had Lisa Braden become that, which I interpret to mean that at the time (18 year old) Dean just thought of her as a good time and nothing more.

**Author's Note:**

> Comments?


End file.
